Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Keith Kountz
Jensen named Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year
8/15/2019 1:00:00 PM | Baseball, General
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Fresno State Baseball student-athlete Ryan Jensen has been named the 2018-19 Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
Established by the Mountain West Joint Council in May 2010, the Mountain West Athlete of the Year awards are bestowed annually to one male and one female student-athlete who have achieved athletic excellence during the past academic year.
In addition to superior athletic achievement, criterion for the MW Athlete of the Year Award requires that nominees be in good academic standing throughout their season of competition, and demonstrate good character and conduct on and off the playing field.
A native of Salinas, Calif., Jensen put together a standout junior season for the Diamond 'Dogs earning a pair of All-American honors from both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) along with Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
"We are very proud of Ryan Jensen for earning this prestigious honor," said head coach Mike Batesole. "He has become a great teammate and competitor on and off the field. He was on a mission all season and to earn the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year honor, he had to have a gigantic heart. Ryan Jensen is a Bulldog," added Batesole.
Named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year and a First-Team All-Mountain West selection, Jensen finished the season with a 12-1 mark making 16 appearances, including 15 starts. The Mountain West Tournament MVP led the Mountain West with 100.0 innings pitched and ranked second in the league in strikeouts with 107. He finished fourth in the MW in opposing batting average (.217) and fifth in ERA (2.88).
Closing out the season on a tear, Jensen won his final nine starts going 9-0 with a 2.32 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 66.0 innings while only allowing 14 walks. He tallied eight consecutive starts of seven or more innings and had six starts with eight or more strikeouts.
In addition to his individual success, which also included being named to the ABCA/Rawlings West Region First Team, Jensen helped the Diamond 'Dogs capture their second Mountain West regular season championship in the last four years along with earning their first Mountain West Tournament title.
The Bulldogs made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 appearing in the Stanford Regional as Jensen threw 7.2 innings and struck out eight in the 'Dogs 9-2 opening round win over UC Santa Barbara.
Jensen became the sixth first-round selection in the MLB Draft under Batesole when he was taken with the 27th overall selection of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs on June 3.
Jensen joins former football student-athlete and current Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who was named the 2013-14 MW Male Athlete of the Year, as winners from Fresno State. He is the second baseball student-athlete to earn the honor joining DJ Peterson from New Mexico in 2012-13.
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Established by the Mountain West Joint Council in May 2010, the Mountain West Athlete of the Year awards are bestowed annually to one male and one female student-athlete who have achieved athletic excellence during the past academic year.
In addition to superior athletic achievement, criterion for the MW Athlete of the Year Award requires that nominees be in good academic standing throughout their season of competition, and demonstrate good character and conduct on and off the playing field.
A native of Salinas, Calif., Jensen put together a standout junior season for the Diamond 'Dogs earning a pair of All-American honors from both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) along with Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
"We are very proud of Ryan Jensen for earning this prestigious honor," said head coach Mike Batesole. "He has become a great teammate and competitor on and off the field. He was on a mission all season and to earn the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year honor, he had to have a gigantic heart. Ryan Jensen is a Bulldog," added Batesole.
Named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year and a First-Team All-Mountain West selection, Jensen finished the season with a 12-1 mark making 16 appearances, including 15 starts. The Mountain West Tournament MVP led the Mountain West with 100.0 innings pitched and ranked second in the league in strikeouts with 107. He finished fourth in the MW in opposing batting average (.217) and fifth in ERA (2.88).
Closing out the season on a tear, Jensen won his final nine starts going 9-0 with a 2.32 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 66.0 innings while only allowing 14 walks. He tallied eight consecutive starts of seven or more innings and had six starts with eight or more strikeouts.
In addition to his individual success, which also included being named to the ABCA/Rawlings West Region First Team, Jensen helped the Diamond 'Dogs capture their second Mountain West regular season championship in the last four years along with earning their first Mountain West Tournament title.
The Bulldogs made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 appearing in the Stanford Regional as Jensen threw 7.2 innings and struck out eight in the 'Dogs 9-2 opening round win over UC Santa Barbara.
Jensen became the sixth first-round selection in the MLB Draft under Batesole when he was taken with the 27th overall selection of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs on June 3.
Jensen joins former football student-athlete and current Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who was named the 2013-14 MW Male Athlete of the Year, as winners from Fresno State. He is the second baseball student-athlete to earn the honor joining DJ Peterson from New Mexico in 2012-13.
MW Male and Female Athletes of the Year All-Time List of Honorees
- 2018-19
- Ryan Jensen, Baseball, Fresno State
- Allie Ostrander, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Boise State
- 2017-18
- Rashaad Penny, Football, San Diego State
- Allie Ostrander, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Boise State
- 2016-17
- Josh Kerr, Men's Track & Field, New Mexico
- Allie Ostrander, Women's Track & Field, Boise State
- 2015-16
- Patrick Corona, Men's Cross Country/Track and Field, Air Force
- Courtney Frerichs, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field, New Mexico
- 2014-15
- Garrett Grayson, Football, Colorado State
- Emma Bates, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Boise State
- 2013-14
- Derek Carr, Football, Fresno State
- Emma Bates, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Boise State
- 2012-13
- DJ Peterson, Baseball, New Mexico
- Shanieka Thomas, Women's Track & Field, San Diego State
- 2011-12
- Kurt Felix, Men's Track & Field, Boise State
- Whitney Gipson, Women's Track & Field, TCU
- 2010-11
- Jimmer Fredette, Men's Basketball, BYU
- Danielle Minch, Women's Volleyball, Colorado State
- 2009-10
- Jerry Hughes, Football, TCU
- Jodi Ewart, Women's Golf, New Mexico
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